Fitch High School - Tantara Yearbook (Groton, CT)

Page 33 text:

Kitchen and Custodial Staff M. Stoddard, B. Tecplcs, D. Clingcnpccl (Dept. Head), A. Pcckham, S. Hendley, S. Fallucco, A. Christina. G. Burtchcll, R. Collins Missing from photo: P. Weber, C. Hcspclcr Row I: D. Montalvo, R. Bozsun, L. Branche Row 2: J. Montgomery, B. Rainy, J. Porter, J. Burtchell, J. Kittleman (Dept. Head), G. Coombs

Page 32 text:

Mark Sullivan Mary Toth Physical Education Business Gail Turgeon English Burton Turner Science Dept. Head Judy Viadclla Frank Wallace Social Worker Guidance William Walsh Guidance Carol Watrous Foreign Languages Potty Patrol Nancy Wilcox Ivy Williams Elizabeth Wilson Kenneth Wood Guidance Secretary Science Special Education Social Studies 28

Page 34 text:

Jones Strikes The Right Note Sitting calmly in his office, wearing a gray cardigan sweater and a tie, Mr. Jones looks quite different than he did during those last two grueling weeks of August known as Band Camp. Then, dressed in shorts, sneakers, and a polo shirt, he seemed to enjoy watching us struggle through hot drilling sessions while he yelled out commands. “Fall in, Fall out, “Detail . . . Attcn-hut!” We did not know much about him except that he was dead serious about band. How many times did we hear “To be on time is to be late” and cringe? Yet, while he was a stranger to us, he was no stranger to the area. Born at the Submarine Base in Groton, he attended grade school in East Lyme and went on to Central Connecticut State University where he majored in music. After work- ing at Electric Boat for four years as a draftsman and racing cars with his broth- er, Mr. Jones began teaching. “Being away from music was very tough,” he says. “1 had some very influential teach- ers in high school that I stayed in touch with.” These teachers thought he might be interested in teaching, too. His first teaching work was as a substitute in East Lyme, but he later moved to a full-time position as the band director at St. Bernard High School. This is Mr. Jones’s third year in the Groton School System. He said he made the move “to Groton to get out of a private school ... I took an elementary school job because it was open, which was convenient be- cause otherwise I might have gone some place else.” This year John P. Jones was offered the position of director of the Fitch Senior Band. “I was very happy to get back into teaching high school,” he says, and, when asked how he liked his new job, replied with a smile, “I like it.” Mr. Jones feels being a teacher is rewarding because he enjoys seeing that he has an impact on kids, or, in one case, on an entire school. For instance, at one school he considerably built up the music program. “When I got there, nobody owned band jackets because people were embarrassed to wear them.” When he left, not only were people buying jackets, but twelve of the sixty students were considering careers in music. It looks like he’ll be sticking around for some time. Mr. Jones, his wife, and two young boys are planning on moving to Niantic where they are building a home. “We bought some land there and we hope to start clearing Thanksgiving weekend,” he says. Now there is nothing unfamiliar about Mr. Jones. It seems like he's always been here, and the high scores the band finished off the marching season with reflect his and our smooth adjustment - - - “Best Drum Major,” “Best Percussion,” and first place with an 80.9 at the Waterford competition, and an 85.8, Fitch’s highest score to date, at the E.M.B.A. Championships in Roselle Park, New Jersey. Welcome Aboard, Mr. Jones— we hope you enjoy the stay. Anne Hollister 30